Highlighted Year: Marvin Freeman, 1994

Pitcher, Colorado Rockies

 Age: 31 (April 10)

1^st season with Rockies

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’7”    Weight: 200 

Prior to 1994:

A Chicago native, Freeman excelled while pitching at Chicago Vocational High School. Drafted by the Montreal Expos following his senior year in 1981, he chose instead to attend Jackson State University With a winning college program, he developed further as a pitcher and was a second-round amateur draft choice of the Philadelphia Phillies in 1984. Signing with the Phillies Freeman was initially assigned to Bend, Oregon of the short-season Class A Northwest League where the 21-year-old produced an 8-5 record and 2.61 ERA with 79 strikeouts over 89.2 innings, having been impressive with his fastball, slider, and curve developed with a good work ethic which made him a top prospect. Struggling with his control at Class AA Reading of the Eastern League in 1985 Freeman was returned to Class A Clearwater of the Florida League and compiled a 7-12 combined tally and 4.04 ERA with 5 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 90 strikeouts over 153.2 innings. In 1986 he was back with Reading and produced a 13-6 record and 4.03 ERA with 4 complete games, two shutouts, and 113 strikeouts over 163 innings. Receiving a September call-up to the Phillies, he went 2-0 in three starts with a 2.25 ERA. Entering spring training in 1987 as a potential fifth starter for the Phillies, he was out of condition, experiencing shoulder problems, and a poor spring showing had him starting the season with the Maine Guides of the Class AAA International League where he was 0-7 in ten starts with a 6.26 ERA before being demoted back to Reading where he appeared in nine games and compiled a 3-3 tally and 5.07 ERA. Struggling with his confidence as well as pitching woes, Freeman started off 1988 with Maine and had a 5-5 record and 4.62 ERA when he was called up to the Phillies after no-hitting Richmond in late July and shutting out Columbus over 6 innings on August 2. In 11 major league starts, Freeman posted a 2-3 tally and 6.10 ERA with 43 walks and 37 strikeouts over 51.2 innings. Unable to crack the Philadelphia pitching staff in the spring of 1989, he started the season back in Class AAA with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre of the International League but was soon called up to the Phillies following an injury to RHP Steve Ontiveros. A strained tricep muscle sidelined him after one appearance and he returned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to rehab and saw minimal action. With his career in the Phillies organization stagnating, the pitcher known as “Starvin’ Marvin” due to his tall and thin build found himself back in AAA to start the 1990 season although he was once again called up to the majors where he was utilized primarily in relief until traded to the Atlanta Braves in July for reliever Joe Boever. The Braves assigned him to Richmond of the International League but after seven starts he was called up to the Braves in September where he appeared in nine games out of the bullpen and went 1-0 with a 1.72 ERA. With improved control he appeared in 34 games for the Braves, who went from last place in ’90 to the NL West title and a pennant in 1991. His record was 1-0 with a save, a 3.00 ERA, and 34 strikeouts over 48 innings. Hindered by an elbow injury, he did not appear in the postseason. Freeman was again effective out of the bullpen for the Braves in 1992, appearing in 58 games and posting a 7-5 tally and 3.22 ERA with 41 strikeouts over 64.1 innings, although he again spent some time on the DL. As Atlanta won another division title and advanced to the World Series, Freeman had difficulty when facing Pittsburgh in the NLCS and did not appear in the World Series. A free spirit appreciated for his humor off the field, he again began to experience problems staying healthy on the field. In 1993, plagued by arm problems, Freeman was limited to 21 games and a 2-0 record with a 6.08 ERA. Released by the Braves in the offseason, He signed with the Rockies for 1994 for $500,000. Entering the season with full command of his sinking fastball, slider, and forkball he returned to being a starting pitcher.

1994 Season Summary

Appeared in 19 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 19

Games Started – 18

Complete Games – 0

Wins – 10 [12, tied with Zane Smith & Mark Portugal]

Losses – 2

PCT - .833 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 112.2

Hits – 113

Runs – 39

Earned Runs – 35

Home Runs – 10

Bases on Balls – 23

Strikeouts – 67

ERA – 2.80 [3]

Hit Batters – 5 [20, tied with five others]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 4

League-leading win percentage was +.033 ahead of runner-up William VanLandingham

Midseason Snapshot: 7-2, ERA - 3.18, SO - 53 in 85 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 7 (in 6.1 IP) at Houston 5/13, (in 7 IP) vs. NY Mets 6/8

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 4 (in 7 IP) at San Francisco 7/28

Batting

PA – 42, AB – 36, R – 5, H – 4, 2B – 1, 3B – 0, HR – 1, RBI – 3, BB – 1, SO – 21, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .111, GDP – 0, HBP – 2, SH – 3, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 28

Put Outs – 8

Assists – 20

Errors – 0

DP – 0

Pct. - 1.000

Awards & Honors:

4^th in NL Cy Young voting, tied with Doug Drabek, Hou. (4 points – 3% share)

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The Rockies went 53-64 to finish third in the NL Western Division, 6.5 games behind the first place Los Angeles Dodgers, at the point in August that a players’ strike prematurely shut down the season and eliminated the postseason. The pitching staff led the league in highest ERA (5.15), most hits allowed (1185), most runs allowed (638), and most bases on balls issued (448). The Rockies started off slowly during a 10-12 April which still had them in second place in the NL West at the end of the month. They managed to remain in contention despite playing their second (and last) season in Mile High Stadium, with short power alleys that adversely affected their league-worst pitching staff. At 36-43 and 5.5 games back at the end of June, the club broke even in July, but the loss of slugging first baseman Andres Galarraga caused the Rockies to finish 3-10 in the run-up to the season-ending strike. Freeman’s excellent control and ability to elicit double play balls led to a career-best performance while his inability to pitch more than seven innings in any game added to the strain on an overstretched bullpen.

Aftermath of 1994:

Elbow problems resurfaced in 1995 and Freeman was limited to 22 games and a 3-7 record and 5.89 ERA while striking out 61 batters over 94.2 innings. As the club reached the postseason for the first time, “Starvin’ Marvin” ended up on the DL. The situation was no better in 1996 and Freeman was released at the end of August with a 7-9 tally in 26 appearances, a 6.04 ERA, and 71 strikeouts over 129.2 innings. Picked up by the Chicago White Sox, he started one game and lasted two innings and became a free agent in the offseason. Signed by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1997, he started the season in Class AAA before retiring. After an abortive attempt to return to the Blue Jays, his career finally came to an end. For his major league career, Freeman compiled a 35-28 record and 5 saves while appearing in 221 games, 78 of which were starts. His ERA was 4.64 and he recorded 383 strikeouts over 593.2 innings. With the Rockies he went 20-18 with a 4.91 ERA and 199 strikeouts over 337 innings. His 1992 NLCS action with Atlanta marked his only postseason play. Following his playing career, Freeman coached at the high school level and founded the Marvin Freeman Youth Foundation.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years.